Warhammer: After 18 years, finally an end

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Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

I would like to thank the people in this thread and the previous for recommendations. After playing the WH40k games thanks to steam sales I wanted to read some of the fluff. The threads pointed me at Eisenhorn and Ravenor and I've enjoyed them. Now I have the two Gaunts omnibuses waiting for me.

# ¿ Jul 26, 2012 00:24

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 07:30

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Cooked Auto posted:

On the 40k side the only one I can directly think of is the Sisters of Battles books by James Swallow aside from the Enforcer series.
Although looking at the BL site suddenly remembered that Double Eagle features a female lead so there is that one too.
Pariah is also going to have a female lead as well based on its description.

Are the Sisters of Battle books any good? I like the lore I've been exposed to so far and wouldn't mind some more in-depth stuff.

Also as far as Pariah goes is there any given reason why Ravenor and Eisenhorn would be at odds? I'd imagine it would have to do with Ravenor coming away from his trilogy still an inquisitor and Eisenhorn being radical now. But in the short story where they meet they didn't really seem to be at each other's throat.

Trast fucked around with this message at 03:08 on Jul 28, 2012

# ¿ Jul 27, 2012 19:52

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Nephilm posted:

Yet. Not at each other's throats yet. Ravenor however, is amazed at how much Eisenhorn has fallen (in regards to the relationship he now seems to maintain with his pet), and I imagine his own experiences with the event of his trilogy wouldn't have improved his view on things. Of course, the books themselves will be the ones to introduce the actual conflict, as everything prior is merely lead-up in that regard.

Eisenhorn's fall from grace was pretty spectacular. It should make for an interesting set of books.

# ¿ Jul 28, 2012 03:11

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

CommissarMega posted:

I liked the books, but I'm an SoB fanboy, so bear that in mind. That said, I like how Swallow genuinely seems to have a grasp on how faith itself is a tangible, powerful force in the Imperium without having Miriya (the books' main character) go Super Imperial Saiyan and stuff.

Basically don't expect her to grow wings of fire and smite the unbeliever with flaming swords, but be sustained through sheer balls-busting faith regardless of the challenge facing her.

Cooked Auto posted:

Been a while since I read the first one but I have a recollection of that it was okay.

Thanks for the input. I'll look to pick them up when I'm done with the Gaunts omnibuses I have right now.

# ¿ Jul 29, 2012 02:34

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

The Ork plot of Retribution is fine because in the end because one of their main motivations is to get the Inquisitor's fancy hat. Screw your gear and relics, the Captain just wants to look smashing.

# ¿ Jul 30, 2012 05:55

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

S.J. posted:

The Ork campaign for that game is literally the only good part of the single player though.

Yes but everything is better when it is more orky.

# ¿ Jul 30, 2012 18:02

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Mechafunkzilla posted:

Generally speaking, yes they take their armor off pretty often for things like repair, training, meditation, general downtime, what have you. In some cases Marines become unable to remove their armor, like Iron Hands that are 80% robot or Chaos Space Marines whose flesh has become fused to a set of demonic power armor.

Nothing like a set of armor that decides when it wants to come off because it's got a demon living in it. It must make going to the bathroom pretty haphazard.

# ¿ Jul 31, 2012 22:37

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Fried Chicken posted:

There is a short story out there about Orks invading the Eye of Terror. They land on a Khornate planet and do battle with Demon Princes and their armies and get slaughtered. As punishment for their audacity, the Demons resurrect the Orks every day, and fight and kill them. The Orks regard it as Heaven. Somebody has posted a scan of it here before, it is like a page and a half long.

I have yet to hear a single thing about Orks that doesn't make them sound like the most fun thing in WH40k.

# ¿ Aug 2, 2012 18:17

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Baron Bifford posted:

W40K gets grimdark to such an extreme that it sometimes cannot be taken seriously, and you thus need to create a race that thoroughly revels in the slaughter and is funny doing it.

When I first was described what orks were as I started to get into the lore I couldn't buy into a bunch of soccer hooligan space "orcs." Then I saw them an action and it's a perfect counter point to all the grim dark.

# ¿ Aug 2, 2012 21:10

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Baron Bifford posted:

Games Workshop is doing the Horus Heresy now, but are there plans in the future to do the collapse of the Imperium in the 42nd millenium?

Have they said this is their goal? Because that is a drastic change from the normal grim dark. They would have to go whole hog on it or it wouldn't work. I mean the impression I've got so far is that if the Emperor was to be reborn he'd be pretty pissed off at the religious fanaticism of humanity given he wanted humanity to be grounded in reason and science. And some of the most fanatically loyal segments of the military might actually become enemies in not wanting to give up the power the cult of personality gave them. A second major civil war setting?

# ¿ Aug 3, 2012 18:18

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Baron Bifford posted:

Given the theme of Warhammer, whatever happens in the 42nd millenium will be grimdark too. Whether he reincarnates or dies, there will a new Age of Strife.

I get that part, all grim dark all the time. But if you are going to make such a fundamental change you'd better have it planned well. I know from Poptartninja's Battletech thread that a similar shakeup with the Dark Age isn't well received by fans and players. A badly handled 42nd millennium setting could damage the brand and those precious model dollars. Just expanding the already present time line with fluff is a much safer bet money wise, in my opinion as someone new to WH40k.

# ¿ Aug 3, 2012 20:46

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

oscarthewilde posted:

Just finished the Eisenhorn trilogy and I must say I'm pleasantly surprised. I'm reasonably familiar with the lore and I wasn't really impressed with it but this was the first BL book I've read and a lot better than I expected. Despite some minor annoyances I managed to finish them in about 2 days and I think I'll continue with Ravenor next. I've also started with Gaunt's Ghosts and I can really see where Abnett's improved. If anyone has any further recommendations, I'd really appreciate them.

I'm doing the exact same reading due to this thread and the last. Ravenor is very enjoyable as well.

# ¿ Aug 5, 2012 23:32

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Mechafunkzilla posted:

Nobody reads the OP

People like that personal attention of a quoted reply. :v:

# ¿ Aug 7, 2012 15:59

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

jadebullet posted:

So, because I lacked the $150 to get what I really wanted (complete Gaunts Ghosts Ebook explosion) I picked up the Eisenhorn and Ravener Christmas collection off of BL for my Kindle.

I am just wondering if anyone had any sort of clue as to the order that I am supposed to read these in. I know the main Eishenhorn books go, Xenos, Malleus, Hereticus, but where to the short stories, and Ravener fit in?

As much as I love my kindle I was able to pick up both of these in paperback on Amazon for half the cost of the e-books. I really wish e-books could be unbound from brick and mortar store pricing.

# ¿ Aug 9, 2012 18:00

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Evil_Urna posted:

This is the only one I have ever seen.

All though if they did make a collectors edition with a Ravernor style cover I would snatch that poo poo up in a second.

Isn't the story behind this cover that it was some sort of stock WH40k image that Abnett saw and a character started forming in his mind right away? It's got a lot of visual elements that are important in the book.

# ¿ Aug 10, 2012 16:16

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

ed balls balls man posted:

HE RISES

I really do like the cover scheme. :allears:

# ¿ Aug 13, 2012 18:01

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Mowglis Haircut posted:

I also love that they've ditched dust covers. I shared a moment with ADB on his facebook page over the topic of 'gently caress dust covers forever'.

I used to work at Barnes and Noble and we all hated dust covers. It made it very easy for people to steal books if the cashiers didn't scan the inside ISBNs.

# ¿ Aug 13, 2012 22:06

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Arbite posted:

Yeah, and you still screwups like Magnus showing up on Terra after the Istvaan dropsite massacre.

Isn't that just as much on the editorial staff?

# ¿ Aug 19, 2012 18:55

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Are there any books or stories about how the Emperor functions on the golden throne? Is he some sort of barely there life force focused on keeping the navigational beacon working or is he able to communicate with his inner circle? I've read on the wiki that the Sisters of Battle in their origin were shown that they were being manipulated by a corrupt clergy when their leader was brought before the Emperor. I was curious if it was just being in his presence that convinced him or something more.

# ¿ Aug 27, 2012 19:37

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Thulsa Doom posted:

In short, no. The Emperor is, depending on who you ask:

Dead, and the Golden Throne is a giant psychic energy projector that seals the warp gate and bleeds off energy to the Astronomican*

Only a few cells preserved by the machinery, acting as an anchor for his soul in the warp, limiting its capabilities

In a very deep state of suspended animation or coma, from which he cannot physically recover

Could actually gradually wake up, but unplugging him would turn off the Astronomican, and the High Lords of Terra fear the strife in the Imperium were the Emperor to reappear, also he would be loving pissed

Is gradually evolving into a fifth Chaos God that will rip the entire galaxy into a new Eye of Teror

_{*This is the correct answer. Death to the False Emperor.}

The option involving the Emperor waking up and being supremely pissed off at the state of humanity and it's worship of him would make for some pretty interesting fluff. But I doubt they'd ever pull the trigger on it and risk the gravy train.

drkhrs2020 posted:

But there are still moments of "But the Codex Astartes says...!" in W40k video games and books.

The hero of Space Marine makes a point early on to the younger marine that the codex is there for instruction and not to be used to the letter. The younger marine takes it poorly. Though he does start fighting without his helmet like Titus and his sergeant.

# ¿ Aug 28, 2012 03:39

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

I'm on Straight Silver in the second Gaunt omnibus right now and I really, really want Cuu to die in a spectacular fashion. :argh:

# ¿ Aug 29, 2012 20:11

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Arquinsiel posted:

You're in for a rough time.

We always are with these sorts of characters aren't we?

# ¿ Aug 30, 2012 05:48

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Arquinsiel posted:

I think it's kind of why they work so well.

:Finishes Straight Silver:

God loving damnit. :smith:

# ¿ Aug 30, 2012 18:36

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

It's like Abnett got told that trench warfare and demons weren't grim dark enough so he whipped up Cuu in his last draft to put the screws to the reader.

# ¿ Aug 30, 2012 19:51

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

bunnyofdoom posted:

Actually I heard he lost a few pages and wrote him in as a placeholder

Yes, I recall now that Abnett states in the forward that the original final draft was lost and he had to rewrite it from scratch. During that writing Cuu became a character and Abnett states "he loves writing him." If he was meant as a placeholder then he certainly turned into something used to beat the grim and dark into the stories. And like I said as if trench warfare and knife fighting with demons wasn't bad enough.

# ¿ Aug 30, 2012 22:00

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Arquinsiel posted:

I am hopefully going to get a chance to talk to him as part of a comicbook thing, so I'll be sure to ask him why he hates us so much.

Please do. I really do enjoy reading about the Imperial Guard in his books but let him know that being cannon fodder for the corrupt generals is grim enough without his buddy Cuu in the mix.

Speaking of which after I get through the third omnibus does anyone have a good recommendation for another series to jump into? I've done the whole Eisenhorn/Ravenor binge and will probably want something else when I order up the third omnibus.

# ¿ Aug 31, 2012 04:40

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Rapey Joe Stalin posted:

ADB's Night Lords trilogy.

Kegslayer posted:

I love ADB but I think the first decent Chaos book was probably 'Storm of Iron'. It doesn't quite hold up to some of the HH Chaos books but it showed a pretty good representation of how a Chaos Marine would act and feel. Can't say too much about the other books though.

Arquinsiel posted:

Possibly go with Ciaphas Cain for a bit of light relief first. You'll need it.

Okay thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably look up ABD first given how much good praise his stuff gets. And getting an insight into Chaos would be nice.

EyeRChris posted:

After the first Gaunts omnibus. Whats the second? Just finished Ravenor and I got time till Pariah comes out.

The next one is 'The Saint.'

# ¿ Aug 31, 2012 16:45

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

I'm just checking if I followed this correctly from the Saint storyline.

During the siege the Saint that Gaunt recognizes as the student from Hagia is just convinced she is the Saint and being manipulated by the General. The real Saint is the girl Sabbatine that runs into Milo during the fighting. Now when the girl dies the whole area gets hit with a psychic sucker punch and starts falling apart. Later on the spirit of the Saint jumps into the girl from Hagia and suddenly she's the real deal. The Imperials rally and badassery commences.

# ¿ Sep 4, 2012 19:34

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Gooses and Geeses posted:

Yup, you've got it.

Wonderful story. The bit in the seminary with the 'baptism' is fantastic.

I wish Abnett would write a Sisters of Battle story. After reading the finale of the Saint I think he'd nail it big time.

# ¿ Sep 5, 2012 01:37

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

After reading Eisenhorn and Ravenor plus seeing how decently the THQ games portray Inquisitors I've looked at the real radicals as the same sort of person as say a military general who would use chemical weapons to win a war. Sure it might do the trick but that doesn't make it the right decision. Same thing for having your own entourage of demons bound to your friend's corpses.

# ¿ Sep 7, 2012 01:12

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Death by Cranes posted:

Hahaha, best way to break the ice at a dinner party.

"Yeah this is my friend Steve, try to ignore the horns and the general feeling of unease that his presence exudes on the warp."

# ¿ Sep 7, 2012 01:38

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Kegslayer posted:

The Inquisitor game books have a pretty good description and is pretty interesting reading.

Radicalism is an ideology of which a number of varying beliefs are grouped under. The general gist seems to be the willingness to use all available means, from using Xenos weaponry to consulting with demons to achieve a goal.

Rogue seems to be an official inquisitor status that is applied to you based on a number of criteria from being set up by a rival inquisitor to someone finding out that you've become best friends with a daemonhost.

I think you are thinking of the special situation status Ravenor used when you mean rogue.

# ¿ Sep 8, 2012 03:14

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Darth Walrus posted:

Not exactly - when the Imperium wages war, any atrocity is justified because your opponents aren't really people (even the ones who look like people - they're filthy heretics who must be purged in cleansing fire). The problem with radicals is that (a) they tend to go against the xenophobic theocracy of the Imperium, which is seldom a great career move, (b) if they make a bad call, the damage to their own side (i.e., major resource centres and important people like governors, and senior officials, not the filthy, ever-replaceable common rabble of the Imperium, whose highest duty is to die for the Emperor) could be catastrophic, and (c) the forces they work with tend to be very good at persuading you to make bad calls.

Puritans are just as evil, and can kill just as many innocent people, it's just that they tend to be evil in a way that preserves the status quo. And the Imperium (or at least those members that matter) likes the status quo.

Let me put it this way - the Inquisition contains the Istvaanian faction, who saw the Horus Heresy as a useful, productive kick in the pants for the Imperium, and thus seek to create similar crises in order to strengthen mankind through adversity - say, by letting a hive fleet leak through the borders, or 'accidentally' virus-bombing an agri-world. These are not the craziest, most dangerous, or most pants-on-head retarded people in the organisation by a long, long way.

Well, okay then. Never tick off an Inquisitor.

# ¿ Sep 8, 2012 18:32

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Speaking of BL Books is there any word on when the latest Gaunt stories will be turned into the fourth omnibus?

# ¿ Sep 13, 2012 17:44

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Leopards actually swim quite frequently so the whole phrase is bogus. :v:

# ¿ Sep 19, 2012 18:51

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Cream_Filling posted:

Well, "phlegmy leopard growl" doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

"Congested leopard growl" doesn't either come to think of it.

# ¿ Sep 20, 2012 19:25

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Regarding "His Last Command" in the Gaunt series.

I was a little disappointed that Abnett only gave us one story of the Ghosts mixed in with the 81st before giving Gaunt his in to regain command and reform the Ghosts. Wilder and his commissar were decent enough characters and it would have been nice to see things play out a little longer before the eventual handing over to Gaunt. I guess it is due to Abnett's habit of very quick resolutions. But it was nice to see the Gereon team coming to the realization that they weren't out on their own anymore, partly due to Kolea's becoming a commander and reminding them. And it would have been nice to see Rawne eat a pistol whipping for being a raging poo poo head.

# ¿ Sep 27, 2012 19:09

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Emnity posted:

Rawne is my favourite to be honest

He still needs a good pistol whipping. :commissar:

# ¿ Sep 28, 2012 18:11

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Regarding Armor of Contempt...

Okay I can get Mkveener surviving the Chaos hit squads and becoming some half feral swamp lord with the Nightwalkers and remaking the Nalsheen. But on the other hand you'd think he'd be loyal enough to the Ghosts to show himself to Gaunt and Mkoll towards the end of the book. But Caffran's death really took the cake. Abnett reached nice and deep into the grim dark for that one.

# ¿ Oct 1, 2012 03:33

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 07:30

Trast: Oct 20, 2010; Three games, thousands of playthroughs. 90% of the players don't know I exist. Still a redhead saving the galaxy with a [Right Hook].

Olanphonia posted:

Caffran's death is honestly one of the most brutal in the series. It's just so quick and unexpected. He was just trying to help that poor shell-shocked kid!

I haven't got a real problem with from a writing perspective. It's quite plausible given it's a war zone and the amount of trauma that went on.

Mechafunkzilla posted:

At a certain point, when a Ghost dies in the most heart-wrenching way possible, you just chuckle to yourself while saying, "Abnett, you dick."

I now read Gaunt's Ghosts books like one would watch a Final Destination movie, looking around to see how any few given plot elements will come together to murder one of the main characters in a hilariously random way.

Didn't someone in the thread mention seeing Abnett at a signing and say he enjoyed making all of his fanboys cry out in agony?

# ¿ Oct 1, 2012 17:15

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